The Dominion WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 1908. FARMERS IN CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 262, 29 July 1908, Page 6

The Dominion WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 1908. FARMERS IN CONFERENCE.

The .Farmers' 'Union Conference made good progress yesterday! througli its lengthy agenda paper, and if comparatively little that'was new was said upon the, grievances of the .land-holding class, it was because theso have been so thoroughly thrashed out at past Conferences that tho Union was left with little more than tho obligation; of Reiteration. The harassing. policy, or want of policy, of the Government in respect to Mativo land; the neglect of tho vback country roads and the burdening' of sottiers with tho intorcst upon the " leadingfor roads that have yet to bo built; ;; the growth of land taxation;, the excessive Government valuations of land—fcheso are some of the unredressed grievances under which .'the land-holding community is labouring. It is small wonder that, with so many sins of omission , and commission visible, tho Conference ; appeared to attach little importance to the Government's promise of: an expenditure of £1,000,000 in roading the backblocks. We have not space to go into, tho discussion in any detail, but attention should'be called to tho interesting clauso added, on Mr. Leadley's motion, to tho main " freehold " remit. The only, excuse put forward by the Government in defen'co of the largo instalment of land nationalisation known as the .National Endowments Act has been the necessity for a permanent source of, revenue for certain spending departments of Government. Tho public.is asked to helicvo that a permanent and .assured source of revenue could be got in,no other way. , Wobody really believes that the endowment policy will make for any greater stability of linance, or that it'will result,in the avoidance of waste, sincc whatovcr comes into one of the departments from tho endowment crid will bo withdrawn at tho other end. Mb. Leadley's proposal iB that

these lands should be offered on lease with the option of purchase, all moneys derived from sale to be set'aside and invested for the benefit of the endowed fund. This proposal, securing the same end as that ostensibly aimed at by the endowment policy, is a fair challenge to the Government respecting the real motive of the Endowments Act. If the Government favours tho. proposal, there will be 110 doubt respecting tho bona fides of ail their talk about " an assured source of revenue." if not, it will be plain that . the real object of tho Government was to make a layge beginning with land nationalisation. The most interesting part of yesterday's proceedings, however, was the, address of tho President, and in particular that passage in which lie warned the farmers of the necessity that exists for an active opposition to the growth of the Socialistic tendencies of the Government, it is a hopeful sign that the farmers are at last awake to the dangerous tendencies ot' recent legislation. Tho country has received • during tho past twelve months some very striking ovidener, of the surrender of Ministers to militant Labour, and of the capture of the Government by the Jtadical ancl Socialistic theorists in Parliament. The 6nc article of faith common to all brands of Socialism is antagonism, to land-holding, and the<gcneral trend of the last few years' legislation has been in the direction of penalising husbandry* 'it is true that'the Agricultural Department has done a good deal for Some farmers, but, as wo have said on earlier occasions, what has been dono on the surface has been undone in the foundations. Under the pressure of city agitators, the Government has dire'ctly attacked tho farmer, and has in, addition embarkod on a line of policy for which tho farming community* must ultimately pay. Every extension of tho State's functions increases tho liabilities of tho community, and unless a halt is called in thit .development of State Socialism with all its waste and ultimate corruption, the time will -como when increased taxation will be necessary. Who will pay that extra \ burden 1 The owners of land. VVhat-the farmers must fix their attention upon, therefore, is not merely the immediate ,handicap that is ever and anon p|aced upon the business of land-holding, but the general tendency of the time to.w/irds rash experiments and expensive interferences with the forces of individualism. specific examples of the Government's anti-agrarian sympathies arc required, those quoted by Mit. Wilson are quite sufficient for. any sensible farmer 1 Mr. Wilson noted-the beginning of single rtax and land nationalisation, and lie emphasised the fact that the way to single tax is made easy becauso the machinery 'for, it is already provided. Tho AttorneyGeneral,' will remomber, 'hinted last session that the increase, in land taxation was but a foretaste bt what is, to come. ■ Mb. 1 I''o\ylds, also, so'deeply ingrained ia his dislike of the free agriculturist, has not shrunk from a reference to'wool values which he should know is absurd; Jieforo the closes more will be'said, upon; the political tendencies inimical to the farmer, and wc shall be Surp'rised. if the. menaced agricultural community ..fails, when the time comes, ..to" translate, its anxiety ilito action. ' , . j